SEOUL, 27 April 2021: South Korea is set to unveil its newest convention centre, Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center (UECO), on 29 April.
UECO will be the 17th convention centre in Korea as events promoters hope to establish the southeast city of Ulsan as the next hub for the Korean MICE industry.
The centre’s opening will take place on the sidelines of hosting its first official event – Asia Pacific MICE Business Festival 2021, which will take place 29 to 30 April with an in-person format.
Located between Gyeongju and Busan, Ulsan is Korea’s eighth-largest city with over 1.1 million residents. It is also home to the largest automobile assembly plant and shipyard in the country.
The initial concept for an exhibition centre dates back to 2000. Progress stalled due to a controversy over the budget and scale of the project. Construction finally began in 2017, 17 years after the first discussions.
UECO boasts a total area of 43,000 sqm with three floors above ground and one basement level. It is located about a 10-minute walk from the KTX Ulsan Station. The KTX line will take delegates to and from Seoul in two hours and to Busan in just 20 minutes.
Expansion of backup facilities for the events business is underway, including hotels and tour content featuring major destinations in the area, including the Yeongnam Alps, Daewangam Park, and Taehwagang National Garden.
Further down the line, a road connecting Ulsan’s western area to the east coast will open, which will reduce travel time from Gangdong Beach to KTX Ulsan Station from 1 hour to 20 minutes.
(Source: Korea MICE Bureau)
